There are many intervertebral implants to assist with stabilization and fixation, including pre-assembled mesh rings of varying size; cylindrical threaded cages; carbon fiber boxes; and bone dowels, rings, and wedges. However, all existing devices have certain drawbacks, including the requirement of multiple steps and tools to prepare and mold the intervertebral plates for acceptance of the devices.
Existing implants also exhibit the need to remove/move a distraction device such as a spreader or plugs around a decorticate. Such plugs/distraction devices often get in the way of cage placement. Mesh cages in bone materials can deform or break with attempts to force them into the inner space. Typically, only a small surface of the end plate is exposed to bone graft, this being dictated by the size and position of the cage. Existing devices also require large trays with many instruments and many cages, and it is difficult to see the bone fused in mass inside metal cages, which are radiopaque.